Device for oiling axles.



PATBNTED JULY 14, 1903. T. S. PHILPOTT.

DEVICE FOR OILING AXLES.

APPLICATION TILED APR. 29. 1902.

N0 MODEL n NORms vrrzns co, vgqoraum NITED STATES iate'nted July 14,1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

DEVICE FOR OILING AXLES;

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 733,420, dated Jul14,1903. Application filed April 29, 1902. Serial No. 1051160. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS STANLEY PHIL- POTT, a subject of His Majestythe King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing on Mein street, Newtown,in the Provincial District of Wellington, in the Colony of New Zealand,

have invented a new and useful Improved De vice for Oiling Axles ofVehicles, of which the following is a specification.

By my invention the axle of a vehicle can be readily oiled withoutremoving the cap of the axle-box, as has been necessary hitherto, andthe oiling efiected without waste of oil, which was unavoidable when theoiling was done by removing the cap, filling or partly filling it withoil, and then screwingit into position. Further, when the cap wasremoved and filled or partly filled with oil some of the the oil reachedthe screw-thread of the cap, with the result that frequently it wouldnot remain in position when jarring over a road.

According to my invention the usual cap is pierced with a hole,preferably near the center, and this hole is screw-threaded. Into thishole I screw a hollow plug which has a head preferably circular in shapeand milled on its edge. Immediately'behind the head I provide a holecommunicatingrwith the interior of the plug. The screw of the plug ismade sufficiently long to project inside the cap and take aspiralspring, which is retained on the stem by a split pin or other suitabledevice. To oil the axle, the plug is withdrawn until the hole behind thehead is exposed, and oil is then poured through this hole into theinterior of the plug and whence it finds its way into the cap. After theoilin gis finished the plug is screwed back, where it is held fromshaking out by the spring.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention.

Figure 1 is a section of an axle-cap fitted with my plug shown in itsopen position; Fig. 2, a similar section with the plug closed; Fig. 3, afront view; Fig. 4, a section showing a modification with the plug open,and Fig. 5 a similar view with the plug closed.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, l is an ordinary axle-cap.Into this capI introduce the hollow screw-plug 2 by piercing the cap ator near its center and screwthreading the hole. which is milled aroundits edge to give a grip for the fingers. 4 is the oil-hole immediatelybehind the head. 5 is a spiral spring. In Fig. 1 this spiral spring isheld on the plug by the collar 6, which is screwed or soldered upon theinner end of the plug, the spring being in compression between thecollar 6 and the cap. In Fig; 2 the spring is kept upon the plug by thepin 8.

By the modification shown in Figs. at and 5 the plug when screwed updoes not project into the interior of the cap, and this form is thusadapted for use with axles which project into the cap. 7 is a hollowboss formed integral with or fixed to the cap. A notch 9 or other markis made upon the edge of head 3 to indicate the position of the hole 4when the plug is closed.

To oil the axle, the cap is unscrewed by the fingers to the positionshown in Figs. 1 and 4, and oil is then poured through the hole 4 intothe hollow interiorof the plug, whence it flows into the cap and to theaxle. After oiling, the plug is screwed into the position shown by Figs.2 and 5, where it is held from unscrewing by the compressed spring 5.

I am aware that a hollow cap having a hole for admission of lubricanthas been previously used, but in a form which makes it easy for the oilto escape during the time it is being supplied to the cap and afterward.In my invention the axle-cap forms a reservoir, and so long as the oiltherein is kept below the level of the screw-plug 2 it does not leakthrough the screw-threads of the plug.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination for the purpose indi-' cated of an axle-cap, providedaxially with a screw-threaded hole, a hollow cylindrical plug screwedexternally throughout its length and adapted to fit said hole, therebeing a 3 is the head of the plug,

milled head upon the outer end of said plug I the plug and there being anotch on the head 16 and a hole behind the head communicating of theplug to indicate the position of the said with the interior of the plugas set forth. hole, substantially as set forth herein.

2. In combination with an axle-cap, a hol-' In Witness whereof I havehereunto set my low plug screwed into the cap, there being a hand inpresence of two witnesses. milled head upon the plug, and a hole behindTHOMAS STANLEY PHILPOTT. the head comm unieating with the interior ofWVitnesses: the plug, aspiral springin compression upon E. S. BALDWIN,the plug, means for keeping the spring upon E. J. ANSTISS.

